Marine torch



G. R.'HOLMES.

MARINE TORCH.

APPLICATION FILED Aus.26.1919.

1,333,313. I Patented Mar. 9, 1920.

UNITED STATES PATENT oEEroE.

GWYLLYM R. HOLMES, F BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

` ammini. Tonen.'`

Toall Lv/wm 'it may concern:

Be it known that I', GWYLLYM R. HOLMES, a citizen of the United States, and residing atv Baltimore, Maryland, have'invented certam new and useful Improvements 1n Ma-V specification.

VThe present invention relates to marine torches and more particularly of the type in which illuminating gas ris automatically generated and ignited when the torch is launched into the water. Uusually such `torches have two. chambers, one containing a single opening is employed. `Where two openings have been used one of the chambers has usually been placed' at the'top` ofthe torch and as' a consequence only `small n quantities of water enter the chamber and at irregular intervals,.if at all. Thus where the ywater opening for. the igniter containing chamber is located at or near the top of the torch and the material isv calcium phosphid, the small quantity of water entering causes a layer of lime to 'be formed over the phos-v phid,l thereby preventingthe formation of the igniter gas, and lifno hard layer of lime is formed the smalllamount of water enterf ing the top is not sufficientv for igniting purposes. In my said patent I `have described a torch' designed to remedy 'the above mentioned defects, and to this end a single opening for the water was provided near the bottom of the torch. Accordingto the present invention a torch is provided which overcomes the defects mentioned above and .employs two independent water openings both situated below the water line and adapted to be opened simultaneously when the torch is launched.

TheV objects and features of novelty willV be apparent from. the description taken in connection with thedrawings in which Figure 1 'is a sectional elevation of a torch constructed in accordance vwith the present invention.; and 1 v Fig. 2-illustrates the manner of supporting the torch on a vessel when used in connection with a life preserver. Referring to the drawings the torch comprises a buoyant container 10 the bottom 11 n of which preferably carries a weight 12 to v Specification of Lettersl'atent. j VPatente(175312113.i9,1920. Application ined August es, 191e. srlialnofmasve. i j i cause the torch .tdmaintain an uprightfposi- 'j tion when loatingin the water. A vessell13 isvarrangedwithinthe container 10 and is designedl to f hold the igniter gas forming material 15 whichlusuallyV is calcium phosl phid. As shown, both the container 10 and vessel 13 are cylindrical 'ini'orm. The illuminating gas forming material 16 'is disposedlin the chamber, formed between the outside of the vessel 13 and the Yinterior surface of the container 10'. u y

. A pair of tubes 17 and 18 extend the length of the container 10 and through the vessel 13, the latter being held in position by these tubes. Both tubes have open ends y c ings'above said water linepall of said openyings being in communication withk the vessel 1 3. kThe other tube 18 alsohas spaced openings 20 `1n .its wall in communication with the illuminating 'gas chamber, Vthe lower of said openings being disposed below the .water line andthe upper' above the same. Both the gas chambers are arranged so that at least a portion thereof is below the water line. Hence when thetorch is floating, water may enter: through the open lower ends of the tubes .and iiiow through i theopening 19 into the inner chamber and through the opening 20 into the cuter or illuminating gas chamber. i

" The upperends of the tubesareclosed by l a cap 21 secured to the container in such manner that when the torch 1s launched said cap will be torn oil'. For this purpose an annular piece of lead 22 is disposed between the cap and the top 23 of the container. The outer edge of the lead disk issoldered to the t0p23-as at. 24 and likewise'the outer edge of the cap is'soldered to said disk as at 25 and the disk isfof such thickness that when the torch is launched it will be torn free from the cap 21. f

For the purpose of closing the lower ends of the tubes a pair of rods 26 and 27 extend throughout the-length of the tubes and are soldered to the bottom thereofas at 28 and 29. At their upper ends these rods are connected to the cap. As shown one of the rods at 26 extends through the cap having a collar or abutment 30 below, thek saine and a ring 31 outside thecap. The other rod'27 its bottom the container has an eye 32 to which is secured the line from the life preserver. The ring 3l at the otherendof the out of the same thereby opening ,bothends of the tubes. Hence when the torch oats in the water, waterwill enter through the `bottom ends of the tubes and Vbe supplied to` both chambers. VThe"igniter gas generated in the inner chamber will flowV into the tube Y 17 throughthe upper' openings'l)` and 'be discharged-at the upper Vend offsaid tube. Illuminating gas will flow into the tube18A through the upper openings ,2OV and be discharged at theupper end of the tube 'where itwill be ignited by the igniterf gas coming from the other tube. It will be seen therefore that a torch is provided having independent water inlets for both chambers, these inlets being normally closed but opened automatically when the torch is launched. Y

Although a specific ormof the invention has Vbeen described in detail it is not thus, limited but includes modifications and changes which come within the scope ofthe appended claims. j l Y Having thus described the invention what isjclaimed as new and desired to be secured byLetters Patent is:

l.V A marine torch container having two chambers, a portion at least of each chamber-being below the water i line, one adapted to hold igniter forming material andthe other illi'nnmatmggas forming materiahboth gases beingjgeneratedby theaddition'of water, a pair of tubes extending throughout the length of thercontainer and open'at their topsy and bottoms, each Vtube adapteoltol supply water through its open lower endto one of the comprising a buoyant chambers and toV conduct gas from said chamber to discharge the same at its upper end, and means closingzboth ends of said tubes adapted to be removed by launching 2. A marine torch comprising a buoyant .container having two chambers, a portion at least of each lchamber beingbelow the water line, one adapted to hold igniter gas forming material and the other illuminatinggas forming material, both gases being generated by the addition of water, a pair oftubes extending throughoutthe'length of the con-V Y tainer and open at theirltops and bottoms, each tube adapted to supply water through its open lower end to one of the chambers and to conduct gas from said chamber to dischargethe same at its upper end, a cap closing the. upper ends of the tube, anda rod disposed in each tube closingthe lower end thereofV and connected to thecap, the cap adapted to be pulled 'off in launching the torch simultaneously and opening the tubes.

3. A marine torch comprising a buoyant container having two chambers,y a portion atleast of each 4chamber being below the line Vand the other above thel same, andV means closing theends of the tubes adapted to be rendered inoperative whenl the Ltorch is launched. Y

. In testimonywhereof I afx my signature.

' GWYLLYMR; HOLMES.V

pulling out the` rods water line,`one adapted to hold igniter gas Y rormmg material and the other illuminating Vso 

